Foreign Office warning over crime in the Dominican Republic

The majority of incidents have taken place in Santo Domingo, the country’s capital city, with a number of tourists being mugged at gunpoint in broad daylight while travelling through residential areas. Twenty US visitors were robbed by armed attackers on the same street, Avenida Bolivar, during last month alone. Other reported crimes include car burglaries and pick-pocketing.

Visitors are being warned to take care when walking through isolated streets or when travelling on tourist scooters, especially at the night, and to avoid quiet, poorly-lit areas. Tourists are also advised to keep all valuables, including passports, in hotel safety boxes and not to carry large amounts of cash when outside of their hotel.

The Foreign Office also issued a warning about crime around the city’s Las Americas International Airport, with recent reports of passengers being stopped, robbed and/or assaulted after leaving the terminal. Most incidents occurred in the early morning hours or late at night.

Last month, the US security research company FrontierMEDEX also reported “multiple incidents” of theft at Las Americas last year and of gangs following vehicles from both Las Americas and Cibao International airports in recent months, attempting to rob tourists.

The airlines JetBlue and Air France last year also reported heightened thievery in and around Las Americas, while three robbers were arrested at the airport last month for smashing a car window to break into the vehicle, according to the Santo Domingo-based newspaper Dominican Today.

The Tourist Police (POLITUR) is available for assistance to tourists at the free telephone number 1-809-200-3500. Visit the Foreign Office website for the latest updated travel advice for the Dominican Republic.